tail-end of summer Sunday Letter: 09.22.19

Dearly beloved, we gather for this Sunday Letter on the last day of summer. Can you believe it?

Here in Arkansas, summer only decided to show itself a few weeks ago. And now, at the tail-end of a weird season, during an even crazier weather year, here we are. Tomorrow is the first day of fall.

FALL!!! Yes, I’m a little bit excited. Today, if it’s the only thing I do, I will mark the changing seasons by swapping out my front door wreath for something more autumnal. If you change your front door wreath, the cooler weather will come… It’s true.

I had a busy week, didn’t get enough accomplished in the area of writing, but absorbed culture in the form of The Goldfinch (loved it!) and The Blue Man Group (loved it too!). The Blue Man Group performed at Walton Arts Center. It’s always a treat to go there.

Due South

Yesterday during our first walk of the morning, a flock of geese flew over Maple Avenue headed due South, as they do this time of year. I heard them before I saw them, honking loudly and enthusiastically, as though announcing, finally, we are on our way! We’ve been trying to leave for days, but there was so much to finish up before we could get off. Plus, Loretta procrastinated like she always does and we had to wait for her to pack her bags!

Lucy, Annabelle, and I stopped, looked up, watched them pass. They flew low, only a few yards over the treetops, so low I wondered if they’d just begun their journey, maybe taking off from Lake Fayetteville? Or, perhaps they had been flying for days and planned to stop over to eat breakfast nearby and rest a bit?

We stood in awe, watching as they passed in noisy formation, beating southward. I felt grateful for our timing, that we happened to be standing in the perfect spot to watch the gaggle move overhead. And I wonder where they are this morning?

Time to Pupate

I know it isn’t nice to choose favorites, but in my opinion the spicebush swallowtail caterpillars are the most entertaining of the caterpillars. I love how they fold themselves inside a leaf to hide and grow. I love their big eye spots (which aren’t eyes at all), used to scare off predators who don’t know any better.

Our spicebushes are loaded with them now and so, yes, every day I spend some time watching them and taking a ridiculous number of pictures.

Just before pupating, some of them turn an orangish-yellow color.

How cool is that?! Seriously, they don’t look real.

But they are!

Queen Dove

We have a mourning dove that returns every afternoon to sit in the bird feeder and feast on the black oil sunflower seeds all around her. She’s funny. Rather than perch on the edge and peck at the seeds (like all the other birds), she settles on in, as though she’s sitting on her nest.

You’ve seen pictures of dogs that sprawl on the floor and eat from their bowls, so lazy they can’t bother to stand? That’s how she is. Or, maybe she’s the smart, efficient one.

The other birds hang around in the trees, watching, waiting for her to finish. Queen Dove, I guess.

Going to the Chapel

We are in final wedding countdown mode! This time next week our daughter will be married, and we’ll have a new son:) I’ve been pulling together pictures for a slideshow for the rehearsal dinner (which is really a meet and greet), and I still can’t believe this baby girl, who made me a momma, is going to the chapel (which is really a vineyard).

Oh my heart.

Things Momma Says
(two bits of wisdoms to make up for last week)

after last week’s Dallas Cowboy game:

I wasn’t wearing my shirt and the Cowboys were playing horrible football. I went in there are put on my Dak Attack shirt and they turned it around!

while taking Momma shoe shopping:

Look at these ugly socks I’m wearing. Who would have ever thought I’d wear such ugly socks?

***

That’s it for this week’s last day of summer Sunday Letter. Stay tuned (in the next fews days) for my upcoming Grace Grits Newsletter that promises exciting news about my next book. If you aren’t a newsletter subscriber, quick, subscribe by entering your email address below.

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Later friends,

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.